Ice-maker bin control



Mam}! 1958 G. MUFFLY 2,826,899

ICE-MAKER BIN CONTROL Filed July 20, 1953 INVENTOR. -4. @127??? My f770F/YIKS.

United States Patent This invention relates to ice-making machines inwhich ice cubes or small ice pieces of any shape are produced and storedwith a control responsive to the volume of ice in storage.

In previous applications of mine I have disclosed various means forstopping the production of ice in response to the accumulation of agiven quantity or" ice in storage, particularly in my application SerialNo. 200,736, originally filed July 30, 1934, now U. S. Patent No.2,291,826, issuedAugust 4, 1942, and in application 237,629, filedOctober 29, 1938, now U. S. Patent No. 2,359,780, issued October 10,.1944. In the former the response was to temperature and in the latterto weight of ice in storage. The present invention is an improvement onthe earlier of these patients, which employed the temperature method ofobtaining the desired response to an increase in the volumeof stored iceto cause the machine to stop making ice, but goes farther in making themethod more dependable and in minimizing heat leakage to the controlbulb.

Considerable trouble has been experienced in obtaining close control ofthe volume of ice in storage bins by means of thermally responsivecontrols due to the fact that the ice cubes, flakes or other smallpieces have a tendency to pile up in a haphazard manner in the bin,leaving voids where the pieces of ice form arches which prevent orminimize contact of ice with the bulb or other the'rmo sensitive elementof the control. This is more troublesome in machines which store the icedry, i. e. not in flotation, since there is no cold water stored withthe ice to make contact with the control bulb.

I have found that this trouble can be overcome by the use of a greatlyelongated control bulb arranged to provide a control band around the binor ice chute, or one extending for a considerable distance along oneside of the bin, but only when the volatile charge of the control isclosely limited so that any one short portion of the elongated bulb ortube will contain all of the liquid portion of the volatile charge ofthe control.

This general principle of making a control respond to the colder of twobulbs or to the coldest portion of an extended tube was disclosed in myapplication No. 37,789, originally filedAugust 26, 1935, now U. S.Patent No. 2,349,367, issued May 23, 1944. In this issued patent twodistinct bulbs operate alternately in regular sequence to take overcontrol for the purpose of regulating the size of ice pieces formed,whereas in the present invention there is one elongated bulb which actsas an infinite number of bulbs of varying lengths and positions alongthe tube, and the use is to control total quantity-of'ice' rather thanthe size of ice pieces,

The one continuous tube and its vapor charge act to provide a controleifect superior to that obtainable by the ice that point then becomesthe bulb which stops the machine on this particular bin-full of ice.

An object of the present invention is to insure against thetroubleexperienced with present ice makers wherein the machine fails to cut outand the ice storage bin is A' further object'is to provide athermosensitive element of greatly elongated form containing a limitedcharge so that any portion of it may serve as the bulb of the control.'V A An additional object is to provide a control bandresponsive to thedrop of temperature caused by contact of ice with it at any point alongits length.

Another object isto provide an adjustable chute with a therr'nosensitivetu'be'responding to ice in any one of .two or more portable icecontainers in which the outlet end at the chute may be located.

A still further object is to provide a guard which not only protects thesensitive element from damage but holds it away from the metal liner ofthe ice storage bin so that it is more responsive to ice temperature.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a general view showing the ice storage bin in section andother parts of the ice maker diagrammatically.

.Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional view of Fig. 1 on the 7 line 22thereof, showing the shield and sensitive element. I H

Figure 3 shows a modified form of the shield for use in connection witha removable ice storage bin.

Figure 4 is a plan view showing the use of an articulated or-flexibletubular extension of the ice delivery chute'for selective {delivery ofice to one of two or more I portable bins. t

Figure 5 is a detail of the outlet end of the ice delivery tube seen inFig.. 4. r

In Figure 1 the ice-making and ice releasing apparatus is seen at 10 andthe bin or storage compartment is shown in section as 12. This ice makermay be of any type suitable for the production of ice in small pieces,as shown by my own or other patents. The evaporator or low side of therefrigerating system is concealed within the ice maker 10. The high sideof the refrigerating system includes the motor-compressor unit 14 andthe condenser 16. The unit 14 is controlled by the thermostatic switch18 actuated by the bellows 19 to stop the compressor and consequentlythe production of ice in response to a drop of temperature of the tube20 at its coldest point back of the shield 22, which supports andprotects it. This shield is provided with several spring clips 24 whichhold the tube 20 in the channel 26 of with a top contour 38), makingcontact at one or more to cause'th'ermostatic switch 18 to reclose,starting the use of a large number of small bulbs. Any small bulb or. rall small bulbs might be bridged over by the ice and therefore fail tostop the machine when the bin is full to overflowing. The one long tubeis, however, certain to make contact with ice at some point along itslength, and

points with the shield 22, .thus the switch 18 is open.

When some of this ice has been removed or its volume has been reducedby, meltage the contact of ice with shield 22 is.lost or, reduced sothat tube 20 warms up production of more ice. The tube 2t] and anexpansible chamber of the control 18 contain a closely limited charge ofvolatile fluidsuch that all of the liquid portion of the charge may becontained within a short portion of the tube 20 when this portion iscooled to approximately 32 F. by the contact of ice with the shield 22.This coldest portion of the tube 20, which may be at any position backof the shield 22, then becomes the temper-' ature-responsive'portion ofthe tube which takes over control of the switch 18. )When little or noice touchesthe shield 22 the tube 20 warms up throughout its length to atemperature at which the control switch 18 recloses to start theproduction of more ice.

An importantfeatureof this. invention .is,1tl1e..;use of arelativelydong sectionof the tube.20,Yto serve.,as .the control.bulbfiaud the location of this tube,.section,.along one or more sidesof'the interior of the,,bin.,12 at a level to provide for stoppingthedelivery of. ice to-thisbin when ice contacts a part only of the lengthof .theshield 22. The bulb section of tube 20 should have a length atleast as great as half of one horizontalinside dimension of the bin.

Another feature is-that the tube 20 is removablyheld in a protectedposition, .back of the shield.22 and out of direct contact with themetal lining of the bin '12. This location insures more immediateresponse to an increase in the supply of ice in storage, regardless ofambient temperatures. The use of a long section of tubing, any portionof which may serve as the bulb of the control, insures against thedanger that the bulb mayfail to be cooled bythe ice due to accidentalvoids in the ice which often bridge over a bulb or a short section oftubing.

The shield22 is so formed that it can not trap water nor small pieces ofice, being preferably welded along its upper edgeto the liner ofthe'tank 12 and open at its lower edge.

Figure Zrequires no explanation other than to say that it is an'enlargeddetail of Fig. l to-showone of the spring clips 24 and tube 20 moreclearly.

Figure 3 shows an optionalarrangement inwhich the bin 12' is removable,preferably-being on casters'or provided with handles for portability.The tube 20 is 'in thiscase mounted on a straight molding 22 supportedby a pivoted bracket 23 which is adapted to be tiltedto'the dottedposition by removal of the bin 12' and to be tilted back to operatingposition by replacement of the same or a similarportable bin. Inorder-to keep the machine from operating while there is no bin inposition "to receivethe ice, I have shown theswitch 18 as beingof themercury bulb type, mounted on the bracket 23 so that it opens, to breakthe circuit when tilted-by removal j of the bin 12'.

Figure 4 shows an adjustable ice chute extension'33 madeof flexible orarticulated conduit and so mounted on chute 32 as to be downwardlyinclined when delivering. ice to any one of two or more portable bins 12'. The extension 33- may be made of spirally wound-flexible metal tube,of rubber or plastichose, or of sections of rigid tubing so articulatedas-toprovidethedesired degree-of flexibility. The outletend of extension33 is encircled by and formed to protect theportion oftube 20which'serves as'thebulb. "T he opposite end of tube 20 is connected withthe switch 18, as in=Fig. 1. In this modification, too, the bulb"portion of thetube'20-is made longer'than one half iof one of thehorizontal inside dimensions of the :bin 12'. Also, the:tube 20 inconformance=with the general principleshereinabove explained issupportedvout of. direct thermah contactrwith the walls-ofthe bins 12.

.When the'bin 12 fills,with ice some part of the bulb must be'cooled byice bothinside and outside'of the extension 33, thus stoppingthe machineuntil 33 is'moved toranothenbinnotyetfilled. The length, angle anddegree of. flexibility. of extension 33are so proportioned that itsdelivery end rests in anyone of: the bins 12 at the desiredcutvofflevelforstopping ice delivery-to that-bin when the binis full.

in case all of the bins 12' are removed at one-time the extension 33 ishung up by meansof'theloop 34 (Fig. 5.) on either a fixed support or ona hook such as 36 of Fig. l or 36' of-Figoil. "Iheportion'o'f-the weightfixed support. The mercury switch 38 is in this case mounted on the tube33 so that it is closed when the tube end rests in one of the bins andis open when the end of tube 33 is raised to hang it up. The switch 38is connected in series with the switch 18 or 18 so that the lifting ofthe end of 33 stops the machine in case it is operating.

It will be seen from Fig. '5 that the tube 20 will be cooled by ice onwhichthe end of tube 33. rests, by ice blocking the outlet of tube 33,or by ice within the outlet end of tube 33 which is blocked therein byice previously deliveredzfrom the tube and notfalling away therefrom.

t Regardless of the accidental piling up of ice as the bin is nearlyfilled and the accidental positions assumed by the pieces of ice therebystopped within the end of tube 33, there will always be some part of thebead enclosing the tube in direct contact with ice. This is the part ofrtube .20 which acts as the control fbulb at the completion of eachfilling of the bin.

'Whiletube 20 is disposed horizontally in Figures 1, 2 and 3 andtherefore its effective portion is always at substantially one level, itis seen that the bulb portionof "tube 20 in Figs. 4 and 5 islocatedbetween wider but rather close limits as to level of ice accumulationrelative to.the size of the bin. In this connection attention is calledtothe fact that the short segment of the circular endgportion of'tube 20which is;at the lowest temperature ;will be-thesegment which acts asthebulb at the com pletion of each filling of a bin with ice. This bulb"portion of. tube 20 will tend to benear the lower part of the end oftube 33, but may sometimes be at one side of or even near the top of theoutlet end of tube 33. Stoppage of ice production will always occurwithin the two .limits of height of ice accumulation in the bin definedby the lowest and the highest of the levels at which a portion of thetube 20 can act as the bulb of the control. This applies not only to theportion of tube20 surrounding the end of tube 33 but to the horizontalportions of tube 20 in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, which need not 40 be exactlyhorizontal.

.I claim:

.1. In an ice-making machine adapted for producing small pieces of ice,a bin arranged to receive said ice as produced, and a movablethermostatic control comprising-a thermally responsive portion adaptedto extend into said bin when in an-operative position and to shut themachine off upon movement to its second position where 'it ,does notextend into said'bin.

.2. In an ice-making machine adapted for producing small pieces of ice,provision for location of a plurality of portable bins in positions toreceive said ice, an adjustable chute forselectively delivering ice fromsaid machineto one oranother of said bins, and a thermostatic controlfor said machine having a thermally responsive element attached to saidchuteat its delivery end in position to respondto an accumulation of iceincontact with the said delivery end of. the chute.

'3. .Inan ice-making machine adapted for producing small pieces of ice,provision for location of a plurality of portable .bins in positions toreceive said ice, an adjustable chute for selectively delivering icefrom said machine to one ortanother of said bins, and a thermostaticcontrol for said machine having a thermally responsive element of curvedtubular formattached to and at least partly surrounding the (deliveryend of said chute, said element being responsive to .a temperaturedropcaused by an accumulation of ice which .tends to block the outletend of the chute and .such response stopping the delivery of ice tothe'bin which has just been filled.

'4. In an automatic icemaker designed to provide ice in.small pieces, abin to which ice is delivered by .said ice maker forstorage, and a.control for .said ice maker comprising a thermally responsive .elementmovable into and out of said bin, said controlbeingresponsive totemperature changes of said element when the element is located withinthe bin and non-responsive thereto when the element is located outsideof said bin.

5. In an automatic ice maker designed to produce ice in small pieces, aplurality of bins removably located in positions such that ice may bedelivered to any of them by said ice maker, moveable chute means forselectively directing the delivery of ice to one or another of saidbins, and a control having a sensing element mounted on said chute meansfor regulating the operation of said ice maker in response to changes inthe quantity of ice in whichever bin said chute means is then inposition to deliver ice.

6. An ice making machine designed for the production of ice in smallpieces, a storage compartment to which ice is delivered by said machine,a control for stopping the delivery of ice to said compartment, meansforming an expansible chamber of said control for actuating it, atubular extension connected with said chamber and forming therewith agas-tight enclosure including a portion of said extension located insaid compartment, and a charge of volatile fluid filling said enclosuremainly in its vapor phase under such pressure that a small part only ofsaid portion of the tubular extension will be filled with the condensateof said fluid when said part is at a temperature of 32 F. and thebalance of said enclosureis Warmer than 32 F., said portion beinglocated within the compartment with its length so disposed as to includea range of heights within which the filling of said compartment islimited.

7. In an ice-making machine, a chute adapted for adjustment toselectively deliver ice from said machine to any one of a plurality ofice storage bins simultaneously associated therewith in ice-receivingpositions, and a control for said machine having a thermally responsiveelement mounted on said chute adjacent its outlet end, whereby thecontrol responds to ice quantity variations in one and then in .anotherof said bins in accordance with the adjustment of said chute.

8. In an ice making machine, means for producing and releasing smallpieces of ice, a bin for the storage of said released ice, and a controlfor regulating ice production, said control including a tubularthermally responsive extension adapted to be placed within said bin andhaving an active length greater than one half of an inside horizontaldimension of the bin, said control and extension constituting agas-tight enclosure with a closely limited charge of volatile fluidfilling said enclosure mainly in its vapor phase under such pressurethat a small part only of said portion of the tubular extension will befilled with the condensate of said fluid when said part is at atemperature of 32 F. and the balance of said enclosure is warmer than 32F., thus causing said machine to stop producing ice until thetemperature of said portion rises above 32 F.

9. A machine for producing ice in small pieces, an ice storage binassociated with said machine to receive ice therefrom, and athermostatic control for regulating the production of ice to fill saidbin, said control including an expansible chamber and a tubularextension thereof having a thermally responsive portion connectedtherewith to complete an enclosure, said portion having an active lengthgreater than one half of an inside horizontal dimension of said bin, acharge of volatile fiuid filling said enclosure entirely in its vaporphase at such density that a small part only of said portion of thetubular extension will be filled with the condensate of said fluid whensuch part is cooled to approximately 32 F.

10. In an ice-making machine designed to produce small pieces of ice, abunker to which ice is delivered by said machine for storage, and acontrol for said machine including a pressure-responsive chamber and 'atubular extension of which a part serves as a thermally responsiveelement located in said bunker where it will be in heat exchange withthe ice stored therein when the ice quantity approaches the capacity ofsaid bunker, said chamber and extension forming a vapor-tight enclosurein which there is a charge of volatile fluid mainly in its vapor phaseunder such pressure that a small part only of said portion of thetubular extension will be filled with the fluid in its liquid phase andthat in its coldest part when such part is cooled to approximately 32F., whereby the contraction of said chamber operates said control tostop the machine in response to the cooling of a relatively smallportion of said element at any section of its length, the length of saidelement being several times the average length of said pieces of ice andover half of a horizontal inside dimension of said bunker.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,077,820 Arp Apr. 20, 1937 2,123,019 Olson July 5, 1938 2,291,826Muflly Aug. 4, 1942 2,336,092 Grooms Dec. 7, 1943 2,359,780 Mufliy Oct.10, 1944 2,449,132 Lucia Sept. 14, 1948 2,459,337 Raney Jan. 18, 19492,526,262 Munshower Oct. 17, 1950 2,583,294 Erickson Jan. 22, 19522,656,686 Bayston Oct. 27, 1953 2,682,155 Ayres June 29, 1954 2,717,495Anderson Sept. 13, 1955 2,717,498 Shagalofi Sept. 13, 1955 2,747,375Pichler May 29, 1956 OTHER REFERENCES Frigidaire Service Tech. Talk,volume H, Number 12, December 1951.

